In Ferrari's first official announcement of the car, the 458 was described as the successor to the F430 but arising from an entirely new design, incorporating technologies developed from the company's experience in Formula One.[8]

The 458 is powered by a 4,497 cc (4.5 L; 274.4 cu in) of the "Ferrari/Maserati" F136V8 engine family, generating a power output of 570 PS (419 kW; 562 hp) at 9,000 rpm (redline) and 540 N⋅m (398 lb⋅ft) of torque at 6,000 rpm[9] with 80% torque available at 3,250 rpm.[8] The engine features direct fuel injection, which is a first for Ferrari mid-engine setups in its road cars.[8]

The only transmission available on the 458 is a dual-clutch 7-speed Getrag gearbox, in a different state of tune shared with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.[8] There is no traditional manual option, making this the fourth road-car after the Enzo, Challenge Stradale and 430 Scuderia not to be offered with Ferrari's classic gated manual, it is the first mainstream model to not be offered with a manual transmission.

The car's suspension has double wishbones at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear, coupled with E-Diff and F1-Trac traction control systems, designed to improve the car's cornering and longitudinal acceleration by 32% when compared with its predecessors.[8]

The brakes include a prefill function whereby the pistons in the calipers move the pads into contact with the discs on lift off to minimize delay in the brakes being applied;[10] this combined with the ABS and standard Carbon Ceramic brakes have caused a reduction in stopping distance from 100–0 km/h (62-0 mph) to 32.5 metres (107 ft).[11] Tests have shown the car will stop from 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 90 feet (27 m) or in 85 feet (26 m) with run flat tires, 85 feet (26 m) from 60 mph (97 km/h) and 80 feet (24 m) from 60 mph (97 km/h) with run flat tires.

The small aeroelastic winglets generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator intake and cut drag

Rear view

In keeping with Ferrari tradition, the body was designed by Pininfarina under the leadership of Donato Coco, the Ferrari design director.

The interior design of the Ferrari 458 Italia was done by Bertrand Rapatel (Director of Ferrari Interior Design), a French automobile designer.

The car's exterior styling and features were designed for aerodynamic efficiency, producing a downforce of 140 kg (309 lb) at 200 km/h (120 mph).[8] In particular, the front grille features deformable winglets that lower at high speeds, in order to offer reduced drag;[15] the car's interior was designed using input from former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher; in a layout common to racing cars, the new steering wheel incorporates many controls normally located on the dashboard or on stalks, such as turning signals or high beams.[8]

According to British car magazine Autocar, the 458 Italia's design has drawn inspiration from the Enzo Ferrari and its Millechili concept car,[16] it has been designed to be Ferrari's sportiest V8-engined car, to distinguish itself from the entry level Ferrari California.[16]

The 458 Spider was introduced at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. This convertible variant of the 458 Italia features an aluminium retractable hardtop which, according to Ferrari, weighs 25 kilograms (55 lb) less than a soft roof such as the one found on the Ferrari F430 Spider, and requires 14 seconds for operation;[17][18] the engine cover has been redesigned to accommodate the retractable roof system. It has the same 0–100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time as the coupé but has a lower top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph) due to the added weight.

The 458 Speciale was unveiled in 2013 at the Frankfurt Motor Show[19][20] as the high performance variant of the 458 Italia. Distinctions of the Speciale over the standard 458 Italia are the forged wheels, vented bonnet, finned side sills, a taller rear spoiler and redesigned bumpers, which include active aerodynamics designed by Ferrari Styling Centre in cooperation with Pininfarina; front and rear movable flaps balance downforce and cut drag at speed; the engine was revised, with power increased to 605 PS (445 kW; 597 hp) at 9,000 rpm and 540 N⋅m (398 lb⋅ft) of torque at 6,000 rpm.[21] Electronic systems were updated too and side slip angle control (SSC) was introduced to improve car control on the limit. SSC performs instant-to-instant analysis of the car’s side-slip, comparing it with the target value and then optimising both torque management (via integration with F1-Trac traction control) and torque distribution between the two wheels (via integration with the E-Diff electronic differential]); the Specials accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.0 seconds (0–200 km/h (120 mph) in 9.1 seconds).[22][23] Ferrari declared a Fiorano test track lap time of 1:23.5, only 0.5 seconds slower than the F12 berlinetta. Lateral acceleration now reaches 1.33 g.[24]

The 458 Speciale A is the convertible variant of the 458 Speciale which was unveiled at the 2014 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 'A' stands for 'Aperta', which is Italian for 'open' – and the model was limited to only 499 examples (49 RHD examples).[25] Just like the Speciale coupé, the Aperta has a 4.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine which generates a power output of 605 PS (445 kW; 597 hp) and 398 lb⋅ft (540 N⋅m) of torque. 0–100 km/h (62 mph) takes 3.0 seconds and the Spider is capable of a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph).[26][27] It was the most powerful, street-legal, naturally aspirated Ferrari automobile the company had ever launched in a convertible variant, until it was surpassed by the 790 hp (801 PS; 589 kW) naturally aspirated V12 of the LaFerrari Aperta in 2017.

The 2012 458 Italia China Edition is a limited (20 units) version of the 458 Italia for the Chinese market, built to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ferrari in China since the first Ferrari, a 348 TS, was ordered in Beijing, it is distinguished by its Marco Polo Red body colour, golden dragon graphic on the front bonnet, gold and black livery stripes symbolising a racing track, gold painted wheels, gold aeroelastic winglets, gold embroidery on the car's head rests, engine start button inscribed with the simplified Chinese characters for 'start' and a '20th Anniversary Special Edition' plaque on the dash.

The vehicle was unveiled at the Italia Center of Shanghai World Expo Park.[28][29]

The Pininfarina concept car, named in memory of long standing chairman Sergio Pininfarina, is a modern interpretation of the 2-seater barchetta built upon the 458 Spider's mechanicals. In keeping with the traditional open barchetta body style, it has no windshield; two matching helmets are provided for the driver and passenger.

The car was first shown in March 2013 at the Geneva Motor Show. According to Pininfarina, the Sergio was developed like a production car, and therefore it could be produced in limited numbers.[38][39]

Ferrari built six units of the Sergio in collaboration with Pininfarina in 2015 and sold it to handpicked customers; the production version incorporates a targa top body style due to complexities and high production costs arising in producing the original design of the car. Each unit reportedly cost US$3,000,000.[40]

The 458 Speciale MM is a one-offsports car based on a Ferrari 458 Speciale and built for a British customer. The design pays homage to the Ferrari 288 GTO and incorporates handcrafted aluminium and carbon fibre components. Performance figures remain unknown but are rumoured to be the same as the normal Speciale.[41]

The 458 Challenge is a race car designed to participate in the Ferrari Challenge, it was presented at the Ferrari Annual Dealer Meeting on 14 July 2010. According to Ferrari it can lap the Fiorano test track in 1:16.5, which is two seconds faster than its F430 Challenge predecessor and only 0.2 seconds slower than the Ferrari FXX.[42][43] Weight was reduced from the standard model through the use of thinner body panels, carbon fibre replacement panels, and polycarbonate windows and windshield;[44] the differences over the regular road legal 458 include a racing cockpit, plexi-glass windows with sliding slots, air-jack mounting on the rear to lift the car up, racing fuel filler cap, center-lock wheels, a racing exhaust as well as tow hooks on the front and rear.

Ferrari unveiled their new GTE class racer in 2011 to take part in Championships sanctioned by ACO and FIA; the 458 Italia GT2 drops the "flex splitter" found in the road cars in favour of a more conventional inlet, with the air exiting out through the louvers in the bonnet. Under new restrictor regulations, the 4.5-litre V8 engine generates a power output of 470 PS (350 kW; 460 hp), which is less than the road car and the 458 Challenge. Unlike the road car, which has a high-revving low-torque engine, the engine in the GT2 version only has a red line of 6,250 rpm, but maintains a close-to-stock torque number even with the horsepower loss; the double-clutch gearbox had to be replaced, but paddle-shifting is retained since the amended rules in 2011 allow them.

Ferrari also unveiled a GT3 version of the Ferrari 458 Italia in 2011; the car is slightly lighter and more powerful than the GT2 version, generating a power output closer to 558 PS (410 kW; 550 hp) and has a red-line of 9,000 rpm. The engine thus performs more similarly to that of the road car than the GT2 version; the aerodynamics of the car are also slightly different due to different aero regulations.[47]

The 458 Italia GT3 holds the record for the number of titles won in many international Championships. In the Blancpain Endurance Series it took the 2011, 2012 and 2014 GT3 PRO AM Team and Drivers' crowns and the 2013 and 2014 Gentlemen Trophy Team and Drivers' honours, while in the European Le Mans Series, since the creation by the ACO of a GT3 class, clinched the 2013 and 2014 GTC Team and Drivers' Titles. In the International GT Open the Maranello car gained the 2011, 2012 and 2014 GTS Team and Drivers' crowns, the 2012, 2013 and 2014 GTS Manufacturers' honours and the 2014 Overall and Super GT Drivers' Titles; the 458 Italia GT3 has also a strong racing record in the most important Asian GT series, the GT3 Asia, in which it achieved the 2011 Drivers' crown and the 2012 and 2014 Team and Drivers' honours. The car has also been driven to win the 2011 FIA GT3 Drivers' Title, the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series GTC Team and Drivers' crowns and successes in national Championships like French GT, British GT, Italian GT, GTSprint and Supercar Challenge.

In 2012, Ferrari developed a modified version of the 458 GT3 for Grand-Am; the car weighs the same but produces less downforce than the GT3 car; the engine is also restricted more heavily, generating a power output of 507 PS (373 kW; 500 hp) and having an 8,000 rpm redline.[47] Instead of a dual-clutch transmission, the car is fitted with a traditional sequential manual transmission[48]

The roll-cage is also modified due to stricter safety regulations; the Grand-Am version lacks traction control and ABS. The car debuted at the 2012 24 Hours of Daytona. AimAutosport.com is the first team to win with the new 458 Italia Grand-Am spec. On Sept. 9, 2012, drivers Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato finished second at Laguna Seca and clinched the Grand-Am Rolex GT championship.

The 458 won "Car of the Year 2009" and "Supercar of the Year", it also won "Cabrio of the Year 2011" for the Spider, from Top Gear magazine. Auto Zeitung magazine awarded the Ferrari 458 Spider "Best Cabrio 2011".[49]Motor Trend awarded the Ferrari 458 Italia with the title of "Best Driver's Car" in 2011;[50] the 458 Speciale won Top Gear's Supercar of the Year 2013 and James May's Car of the Year[51]

On 24 August 2010, BBC News reported that ten 458s had either crashed or caught fire in just three months.[52] Ferrari responded later that it was aware of the fire-related cases, and was in the process of investigating them.[52][53]

On September 1, 2010 Ferrari officially recalled all 1,248 of the 458s sold to date. A spokesman commented that the problem had been traced to an adhesive used in the wheel-arch assemblies and that, in certain circumstances, the glue could begin to overheat, smoke and even catch fire. In extreme cases the melting adhesive could lead to the heat shield deforming, and hence moving closer to the exhaust, causing the wheel-arch lining to catch fire. Owners who had reported fires, that were later confirmed by independent engineers to be due to this problem, received a new car. All other cars were modified by replacing the adhesive with mechanical fasteners.[54][55]

In 2012, Ferrari recalled certain 2011 and 2012 US market cars because the engine could seize suddenly and possibly cause a crash; the F136 engines had incorrectly mounted crankshafts. The manufacturer learned of one such incident from a review car lent to critics. Owners could choose from having a new engine installed by their dealer, having the engine removed and the work done by Ferrari North America or having a new crankshaft and bearings installed at the dealership.[56]

Hot Wheels produced a 1:18 scale model of the 458 Italia, Spider, GT2, Challenge, China Edition and soon the Speciale versions under both its regular "Mattel / Heritage" as well as its premium "Elite" and "Super Elite" lines of collectable die-cast models.[57]Bburago also produced variants of the 458, such as the Italia, Spider and Challenge in diecast in 1:18 1:24, 1:32 and 1:43 scale under its Race and play line up. The Speciale version in 1:18 scale followed up later from the manufacturer under both the Race and play and Signature series line ups.[58]

The 458 was also reviewed on the 15th season of Top Gear, where it received acclaim for its styling and performance. In a drag race against James May'sFerrari F430, it won by a considerable margin; the car also lapped the Top Gear test track in 1:19.1, 0.1 seconds slower than the Ferrari Enzo. A red 458 was used as the vehicle form for the character Dino in the film Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Eden also has a song titled 458 ITALIA.

After the Ferrari 458 Italia had been reported to cost much more in China than the United States, the Chinese Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) began working in conjunction with the National Development and Reform Commission for possible price-fixing, despite automakers' claim of a 24% import tariff, 17% value-added tax, and a consumption tax having been added to the car's price.[59][60]

The Ferrari 360 is a two-seater, mid-engine, rear wheel drive sports car manufactured by Italian automotive manufacturer Ferrari from 1999 to 2005. It succeeded the Ferrari F355 and was replaced by the Ferrari F430 in 2005. Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to produce an new all aluminiumspace-frame chassis, 40% stiffer than the F355 which had utilized steel; the design was 28% lighter despite a 10% increase in overall dimensions. Along with a lightweight frame the new Pininfarina body styling deviated from traditions of the previous decade's sharp angles and flip-up headlights; the new V8 engine, utilises a 3.6 litre capacity, a flat plane crankshaft and titanium connecting rods. The engine generates a power output of 400 PS. According to Ferrari, weight was reduced by 60 kg and the 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time improved from 4.7 to 4.5 seconds. The first model to be produced was the 360 Modena followed by the 360 Spider and as a special edition, the Challenge Stradale, the highest-performance road-legal version of the 360 produced by the factory, featuring carbon ceramic brakes, track tuned suspension, aerodynamic gains, weight reduction, power improvements and revised gearbox software among its track-focused brief.

There were 7,565 Spiders produced worldwide. There were 4,199 built for the US market -- 2,389 Spiders. Of those numbers there were only 469 Modenas and 670 Spiders that were produced with a gated 6-speed manual transmission as opposed to the automated F1 single clutch transmission. In addition to this were the low-volume factory race cars and a one-off Barchetta variant; the race cars were all derived from the 360 Modena and for the first time produced as a separate model in their own right. While the Barchetta was based on the Spider variant; the first race car was the 360 Modena Challenge, used in a one-make series. The N-GT was a 360 Challenge car evolved further to compete more in the FIA N-GT racing classes alongside other marques such as Porsche; the first model of the 360 to be produced was the Modena, named after the town of Modena, the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari. Transmission choice ranges from 6-speed manual transmission, or an F1 electrohydraulic manual transmission; the 360 Modena went into production in 1999 and remained in production until 2005 when it was replaced by the F430.

The Modena was followed two years by the 360 Spider, Ferrari's 20th road-going convertible which at launch overtook sales of the Modena. Other than weight, the Spider's specifications matched those of the Modena exactly; the Ferrari 360 Spider was unveiled at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show. It is Ferrari's twentieth road-going convertible; the 360 was designed with a convertible variant in mind. Ferrari designers strengthened the sills, stiffened the front of the floorpan and redesigned the windscreen frame; the rear bulkhead had to be stiffened to cut out engine noise from the cabin. The convertible's necessary dynamic rigidity is provided by additional side reinforcements and a cross brace in front of the engine. Passenger safety is ensured by roll bars; the 360 Spider displays a curvilinear waistline. The fairings imply the start of a roof, stable roll bars are embedded in these elevations. Due to use of light aluminium construction throughout, the Spider weighs in only 60 kg heavier than the coupé.

In automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to one joint at the knuckle; the shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control vertical movement. Double wishbone designs allow the engineer to control the motion of the wheel throughout suspension travel, controlling such parameters as camber angle, caster angle, toe pattern, roll center height, scrub radius and more; the double-wishbone suspension can be referred to as "double A-arms", though the arms themselves can be A-shaped, L-shaped, or a single bar linkage. A single wishbone or A-arm can be used in various other suspension types, such as variations of the MacPherson strut; the upper arm is shorter to induce negative camber as the suspension jounces, this arrangement is titled an "SLA" or "short long arms" suspension. When the vehicle is in a turn, body roll results in positive camber gain on the loaded inside wheel, while the loaded outer wheel gains negative camber.

Between the outboard end of the arms is a knuckle. The knuckle contains a kingpin for horizontal radial movement in older designs, rubber or trunionbushings for vertical hinged movement. In newer designs, a ball joint at each end allow for all movement. Attached to the knuckle at its center is a bearing hub, or in many older designs, a spindle to which the wheel bearings are mounted. To resist fore-aft loads such as acceleration and braking, the arms require two bushings or ball joints at the body. At the knuckle end, single ball joints are used, in which case the steering loads have to be taken via a steering arm, the wishbones look A- or L-shaped. An L-shaped arm is preferred on passenger vehicles because it allows a better compromise of handling and comfort to be tuned in; the bushing in line with the wheel can be kept stiff to handle cornering loads while the off-line joint can be softer to allow the wheel to recess under fore-aft impact loads. For a rear suspension, a pair of joints can be used at both ends of the arm, making them more H-shaped in plan view.

Alternatively, a fixed-length driveshaft can perform the function of a wishbone as long as the shape of the other wishbone provides control of the upright. This arrangement has been used in the Jaguar IRS. In elevation view, the suspension is a 4-bar link, it is easy to work out the camber gain and other parameters for a given set of bushing or ball-joint locations; the various bushings or ball joints do not have to be on horizontal axes, parallel to the vehicle centre line. If they are set at an angle anti-dive and anti-squat geometry can be dialled in. In many racing cars, the springs and dampers are relocated inside the bodywork; the suspension uses a bellcrank to transfer the forces at the knuckle end of the suspension to the internal spring and damper. This is known as a "push rod" if bump travel "pushes" on the rod; as the wheel rises, the push rod compresses the internal spring via a pivoting system. The opposite arrangement, a "pull rod", will pull on the rod during bump travel, the rod must be attached to the top of the upright, angled downward.

Locating the spring and damper inboard increases the total mass of the suspension, but reduces the unsprung mass, allows the designer to make the suspension more aerodynamic. A short long arms suspension is known as an unequal length double wishbone suspension; the upper arm is an A-arm, is shorter than the lower link, an A-arm or an L-arm, or sometimes a pair of tension/compression arms. In the latter case the suspension can be called dual ball joint suspension; the four-bar linkage mechanism formed by the unequal arm lengths causes a change in the camber of the vehicle as it rolls, which helps to keep the contact patch square on the ground, increasing the ultimate cornering capacity of the vehicle. It reduces the wear of the outer edge of the tire. SLAs can be classified as short spindle, in which the upper ball joint on the spindle is inside the wheel, or long spindle, in which the spindle tucks around the tire and the upper ball joint sits above the tire. Short spindle SLAs tend to require stiffer bushings at the body, as the braking and cornering forces are higher.

They tend to have poorer kingpin geometry, due to the difficulty of packaging the upper ball joint and the brakes inside the wheel. Long spindle SLAs tend to have better kingpin geometry, but the proximity of the spindle to the tyre restricts fitting oversized tyres, or snowchains; the location of the upper balljoint may have styling implications in the design of the sheetmetal above it. SLAs require some care when setting up their bump steer characteristic, as it is easy to end up with excessive, or curved, bump steer curves; the double wishbone suspension was introduced in the 1930s. French car maker Citroën began using it in their 1934 Traction Avant models. Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan used it on the Packard One-Twenty from 1935, advertised it as a safety feature. During that time MacPherson strut was still in the area of aviation technology and was derived from aircraft landing mechanism. On, until 1951, Ford Company decided to use the MacPherson strut on small production cars, the English Ford Consul and Ford Zephyr.

Thus, the double wishbone was applied early in automobiles history and there are no genetic relationship between MacPherson strut and double wishbone suspension. Double wishbones are considered to have sup

Horsepower is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done. There are many different types of horsepower. Two common definitions being used today are the mechanical horsepower, about 745.7 watts, the metric horsepower, 735.5 watts. The term was adopted in the late 18th century by Scottish engineer James Watt to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses, it was expanded to include the output power of other types of piston engines, as well as turbines, electric motors and other machinery. The definition of the unit varied among geographical regions. Most countries now use the SI unit watt for measurement of power. With the implementation of the EU Directive 80/181/EEC on January 1, 2010, the use of horsepower in the EU is permitted only as a supplementary unit; the development of the steam engine provided a reason to compare the output of horses with that of the engines that could replace them. In 1702, Thomas Savery wrote in The Miner's Friend: So that an engine which will raise as much water as two horses, working together at one time in such a work, can do, for which there must be kept ten or twelve horses for doing the same.

I say, such an engine may be made large enough to do the work required in employing eight, fifteen, or twenty horses to be maintained and kept for doing such a work… The idea was used by James Watt to help market his improved steam engine. He had agreed to take royalties of one third of the savings in coal from the older Newcomen steam engines; this royalty scheme did not work with customers who did not have existing steam engines but used horses instead. Watt determined; the wheel was 12 feet in radius. Watt judged. So: P = W t = F d t = 180 l b f × 2.4 × 2 π × 12 f t 1 m i n = 32, 572 f t ⋅ l b f m i n. Watt defined and calculated the horsepower as 32,572 ft⋅lbf/min, rounded to an 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min. Watt determined that a pony could lift an average 220 lbf 100 ft per minute over a four-hour working shift. Watt judged a horse was 50% more powerful than a pony and thus arrived at the 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min figure. Engineering in History recounts that John Smeaton estimated that a horse could produce 22,916 foot-pounds per minute.

John Desaguliers had suggested 44,000 foot-pounds per minute and Tredgold 27,500 foot-pounds per minute. "Watt found by experiment in 1782 that a'brewery horse' could produce 32,400 foot-pounds per minute." James Watt and Matthew Boulton standardized that figure at 33,000 foot-pounds per minute the next year. A common legend states that the unit was created when one of Watt's first customers, a brewer demanded an engine that would match a horse, chose the strongest horse he had and driving it to the limit. Watt, while aware of the trick, accepted the challenge and built a machine, even stronger than the figure achieved by the brewer, it was the output of that machine which became the horsepower. In 1993, R. D. Stevenson and R. J. Wassersug published correspondence in Nature summarizing measurements and calculations of peak and sustained work rates of a horse. Citing measurements made at the 1926 Iowa State Fair, they reported that the peak power over a few seconds has been measured to be as high as 14.9 hp and observed that for sustained activity, a work rate of about 1 hp per horse is consistent with agricultural advice from both the 19th and 20th centuries and consistent with a work rate of about 4 times the basal rate expended by other vertebrates for sustained activity.

When considering human-powered equipment, a healthy human can produce about 1.2 hp and sustain about 0.1 hp indefinitely. The Jamaican sprinterUsain Bolt produced a maximum of 3.5 hp 0.89 seconds into his 9.58 second 100-metre dash world record in 2009. When torque T is in pound-foot units, rotational speed is in rpm and power is required in horsepower: P / hp = T / × N / rpm 5252 The constant 5252 is the rounded value of /; when torque T is in inch pounds: P

S-segment is the a European segments for passenger cars for sport coupés. The cars are described as sports cars and the equivalent Euro NCAP class is called "roadster sport". S-segment cars have a sporting appearance and are designed to have superior handling and/or straight-line acceleration compared to other segments; the most common body styles for S-segment cars are convertible. Rear passenger accommodation is not a priority for S-segment cars, therefore many models are either two-seat cars or have a 2+2 layout with cramped rear seating. Most recent S-segment cars use the commonplace front-engine design, however the majority of cars with a Mid-engine design or rear-engine design belong to the S-segment; the five highest selling S-segment cars in Europe are the Audi TT, Mazda MX-5, Porsche 911, Ford Mustang and Porsche Boxster/Cayman. In 2014, the five highest selling coupé models were the BMW 4 Series, Opel Astra GTC,BMW 2 Series, Renault Mégane Coupé and Mercedes-Benz C-Class; the five highest selling convertible models in 2014 were the Fiat 500C, Mini Hatch, BMW 4 Series, Volkswagen Beetle and Volkswagen Golf Mk6

Ferrari is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo's race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni, the company built its first car in 1940. However, the company's inception as an auto manufacturer is recognized in 1947, when the first Ferrari-badged car was completed. In 2014, Ferrari was rated the world's most powerful brand by Brand Finance. In June 2018, the 1964 250 GTO became the most expensive car in history, setting an all-time record selling price of $70 million. Fiat S.p. A. acquired 50% of Ferrari in 1969 and expanded its stake to 90% in 1988. In October 2014 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N. V. announced its intentions to separate Ferrari S.p. A. from FCA. The separation began in October 2015 with a restructuring that established Ferrari N. V. as the new holding company of the Ferrari group and the subsequent sale by FCA of 10% of the shares in an IPO and concurrent listing of common shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Through the remaining steps of the separation, FCA's interest in Ferrari's business was distributed to shareholders of FCA, with 10% continuing to be owned by Piero Ferrari.

The spin-off was completed on 3 January 2016. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing in Formula One, where it is the oldest and most successful racing team, holding the most constructors championships and having produced the highest number of drivers' championship wins. Ferrari road cars are seen as a symbol of speed and wealth. Enzo Ferrari was not interested in the idea of producing road cars when he formed Scuderia Ferrari in 1929, with headquarters in Modena. Scuderia Ferrari means "Ferrari Stable" and is used to mean "Team Ferrari." Ferrari bought and fielded Alfa Romeo racing cars for gentleman drivers, functioning as the racing division of Alfa Romeo. In 1933, Alfa Romeo withdrew its in-house racing team and Scuderia Ferrari took over as its works team: the Scuderia received Alfa's Grand Prix cars of the latest specifications and fielded many famous drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari and Achille Varzi. In 1938, Alfa Romeo brought its racing operation again in-house, forming Alfa Corse in Milan and hired Enzo Ferrari as manager of the new racing department.

In September 1939, Ferrari left Alfa Romeo under the provision he would not use the Ferrari name in association with races or racing cars for at least four years. A few days he founded Auto Avio Costruzioni, headquartered in the facilities of the old Scuderia Ferrari; the new company ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories. In 1940, Ferrari produced a race car – the Tipo 815, based on a Fiat platform, it was the first Ferrari car and debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia, but due to World War II it saw little competition. In 1943, the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained since; the factory was bombed by the Allies and subsequently rebuilt including a works for road car production. The first Ferrari-badged car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5 L V12 engine. The Scuderia Ferrari name was resurrected to denote the factory racing cars and distinguish them from those fielded by customer teams. In 1960 the company was restructured as a public corporation under the name SEFAC S.p.

A.. Early in 1969, Fiat took a 50% stake in Ferrari. An immediate result was an increase in available investment funds, work started at once on a factory extension intended to transfer production from Fiat's Turin plant of the Ferrari engined Fiat Dino. New model investment further up in the Ferrari range received a boost. In 1988, Enzo Ferrari oversaw the launch of the Ferrari F40, the last new Ferrari launched before his death that year. In 1989, the company was renamed Ferrari S.p. A. From 2002 to 2004, Ferrari produced the Enzo, their fastest model at the time, introduced and named in honor of the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari, it was to be called the F60, continuing on from the F40 and F50, but Ferrari was so pleased with it, they called it the Enzo instead. It was offered to loyal and recurring customers, each of the 399 made had a price tag of $650,000 apiece. On 15 September 2012, 964 Ferrari cars attended the Ferrari Driving Days event at Silverstone Circuit and paraded round the Silverstone Circuit setting a world record.

Ferrari's former CEO and Chairman, Luca di Montezemolo, resigned from the company after 23 years, succeeded by Amedeo Felisa and on 3 May 2016 Amedeo resigned and was succeeded by Sergio Marchionne, CEO and Chairman of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ferrari's parent company. In July 2018, Marchionne was replaced by board member Louis Camilleri as CEO and by John Elkann as chairman. On 29 October 2014, the FCA group, resulting from the merger between manufacturers Fiat and Chrysler, announced the split of its luxury brand, Ferrari; the aim is to turn Ferrari into an independent brand which 10% of stake will be sold in an IPO in 2015. Ferrari priced its initial public offering at $52 a share after the market close on 20 October 2015. Since the company's beginnings, Ferrari has been involved in motorsport, competing in a range of categories including Formula One and sports car racing through its Scuderia Ferrari sporting division as well as supplying cars and engines to other t

A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder V configuration engine with the cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two sets of four, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft. Most banks are set at a right angle to each other, some at a narrower angle, with 45°, 60°, 72° most common. In its simplest form, the V8 is two parallel inline-four engines sharing a common crankshaft. However, this simple configuration, with a flat- or single-plane crankshaft, has the same secondary dynamic imbalance problems as two straight-4s, resulting in vibrations in large engine displacements. Since the 1920s, most V8s have used the somewhat more complex crossplane crankshaft with heavy counterweights to eliminate the vibrations; this results in an engine, smoother than a V6, while being less expensive than a V12. Many racing V8s continue to use the single plane crankshaft because it allows faster acceleration and more efficient exhaust system designs. In 1902, Léon Levavasseur took out a patent on a light but quite powerful gasoline injected V8 engine.

He called it the'Antoinette' after the young daughter of his financial backer. From 1904 he installed this engine in a number of early aircraft; the aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont saw one of these boats in Côte d'Azur and decided to try it on his pusher configuration, canard-design 14-bis aircraft. Its early 24 hp at 1400 rpm version with only 55 kg of weight was interesting, but proved to be underpowered. Santos-Dumont ordered a more powerful version from Levavasseur, he changed its dimensions from the original 80 mm stroke and 80 mm bore to 105 mm stroke and 110 mm bore, obtaining 50 hp with 86 kg of weight, including cooling water. Its power-to-weight ratio was not surpassed for 25 years. Levavasseur produced its own line of V8 equipped aircraft, named Antoinette I to VIII. Hubert Latham piloted the V8 powered Antoinette IV and Antoinette VII in July 1909 on two failed attempts to cross the English Channel. However, in 1910, Latham used the VII with the same engine to become the first in the world to reach an altitude of 3600 feet.

Voisin constructed pusher biplanes with Antoinette engines notably the one first flown by Henry Farman in 1908. The V8 engine configuration was used in France by 1904, in race car and aircraft engines introduced by Renault, Buchet among others; some of these engines found their way into automobiles in small quantities. In 1905, Darracq built a special car to beat the world speed record, they came up with two racing car engines built on camshaft. The result was an engine with a displacement of 1,551 cu in, 200 bhp. Victor Hemery achieved the record on 30 December 1905 with a speed of 109.65 mph. This car still exists. Rolls-Royce built a 3,535 cc V8 car from 1905 to 1906, but only three copies were made and Rolls-Royce reverted to a I6 design. In 1907, the Hewitt Motor Company built a large five-passenger Touring Car, it was equipped with a V8 engine that developed 50/60 horsepower and had a bore of 4 in and a stroke of 4.5 in. The Hewitt was the first American automobile to be equipped with a V8 engine.

De Dion-Bouton introduced a 7,773 cc automobile V8 in 1910 and displayed it in New York in 1912. It inspired a number of manufacturers to follow suit; the limiting factor in mass production and sales of V8s was the difficulty in starting large engines using a hand crank. Not only does increasing the size of the engine make this harder, the number of pistons is a factor, because with a 4 cylinder engine, a piston comes into compression every half turn of the crank, overcoming this with the crank is not difficult. With eight cylinders, there is only 1/4 of a turn of the crank before another cylinder comes into compression. To overcome this problem, electric starters were developed; the first marque to equip its cars with electric starter motors was Cadillac, in 1912, Cadillac was the first production automobile with V8s, introduced 2 years later. It sold 13,000 of the 5.4 L L-head engines in its first year of production, 1914. Cadillac has been a V8 company since. Oldsmobile, another division of General Motors, introduced its own 4 L V8 engine in 1916.

Chevrolet introduced a 4.7 L V8 engine in 1917 and installed in the Chevrolet Series D. In February 1915, Swiss automotive engineer Marc Birkigt designed the first example of the famous Hispano-Suiza V8 single overhead cam aviation engines, in differing displacements, using dual ignition systems and in power levels from 150 horsepower to around 300 horsepower, in both direct-drive and geared output shaft versions. 50,000 of these engines were built in Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy. Wright Aeronautical built them in the United States during World War I, with the French-produced versions getting almost-exclusive use to power the SPAD S. VII and SPAD S. XIII fighter aircraft. E.5 fighters and Sopwith Dolphin fighters. The H. S. 8-series overhead cam valvetrain V8 aviation engines are said to have powered half of all Allied aircraft of the WW I era. By 1932, Henry Ford introduced one of his last great personal engineering triumphs: his "en block", or one piece, V8 engine, its simple design made possible the greatest production V8 to the masses.

Gasoline direct injection, is a form of fuel injection employed in modern two-stroke and four-stroke gasoline engines. The gasoline is pressurized, injected via a common rail fuel line directly into the combustion chamber of each cylinder, as opposed to conventional multipoint fuel injection that injects fuel into the intake tract or cylinder port. Directly injecting fuel into the combustion chamber requires high-pressure injection, whereas low pressure is used injecting into the intake tract or cylinder port. In some applications, gasoline direct injection enables a stratified fuel charge combustion for improved fuel efficiency, reduced emission levels at low load. GDI has seen rapid adoption by the automotive industry over the past years, from 2.3% of production for model year 2008 vehicles to just over 45% expected production for model year 2015. The major advantages of a GDI engine are increased high power output. Emissions levels can be more controlled with the GDI system. GDI engine operates into two modes 1) overall lean equivalence ratio composition during low load and low speed operation.

2) Homogeneous stoichiometric mode at higher loads and at all loads and higher speed. At medium load region charge is stoichiometric; the combustion systems are classified into wall guided and spray guided system. The engine management system continually chooses among three combustion modes: ultra lean burn and full power output; each mode is characterized by the air-fuel ratio. The stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for gasoline is 14.7:1 by weight, but ultra lean mode can involve ratios as high as 65:1. These mixtures are much leaner than in a conventional engine and reduce fuel consumption considerably. Ultra lean burn or stratified charge mode is used for light-load running conditions, at constant or reducing road speeds, where no acceleration is required; the fuel is not injected at the intake stroke but rather at the latter stages of the compression stroke. The combustion takes place in a cavity on the piston's surface which has a toroidal or an ovoidal shape, is placed either in the center, or displaced to one side of the piston, closer to the injector.

The cavity creates the swirl effect so that the small amount of air-fuel mixture is optimally placed near the spark plug. This stratified charge is surrounded by air and residual gases, which keeps the fuel and the flame away from the cylinder walls. Decreased combustion temperature allows for lowest emissions and heat losses and increases air quantity by reducing dilation, which delivers additional power; this technique enables the use of ultra-lean mixtures that would be impossible with carburetors or conventional fuel injection. Stoichiometric mode is used for moderate load conditions. Fuel is injected during the intake stroke. From the stoichiometric ratio, an optimum burn results in a clean exhaust emission, further cleaned by the catalytic converter. Full power mode is used for heavy loads; the air-fuel mixture is homogeneous and the ratio is richer than stoichiometric, which helps prevent pinging. The fuel is injected during the intake stroke, it is possible to inject fuel more than once during a single cycle.

After the first fuel charge has been ignited, it is possible to add fuel. The benefits are more power and economy, certain octane fuels have caused exhaust valve erosion. Direct injection may be accompanied by other engine technologies such as turbocharging or supercharging, variable valve timing or continuous variable cam phasing, tuned/multi path or variable length intake manifolding. Water injection or exhaust gas recirculation may help reduce the high nitrogen oxides emissions that can result from burning ultra lean mixtures. Tuning up an early generation FSI power plant to generate higher power is difficult, since the only time it is possible to inject fuel is during the induction phase. Conventional injection engines can inject throughout the 4-stroke sequence, as the injector squirts onto the back of a closed valve. A direct injection engine, where the injector injects directly into the cylinder, is limited to the intake stroke of the piston; as the RPM increases, the time available to inject fuel decreases.

Newer FSI systems that have sufficient fuel pressure to inject late in compression phase do not suffer to the same extent. However, they do not inject during the exhaust cycle. Hence, all other factors being equal, an FSI engine needs higher-capacity injectors to achieve the same power as a conventional engine; some engines overcome this limitation by using both direct injection and multiport fuel injection, including Toyota2GR-FSE V6 and Volkswagen Group TSI Engines. The first Otto cycle engine direct injection system was designed by German engineer Otto Mader, it was used for a Junkers airplane engine in 1916. Junkers planned developing an aviation Diesel engine, because Diesel engines were deemed more efficient and less prone to catching fire than Otto cycle engines. Due to the German ministry of war demanding aircraft engines running on either benzene or petrol, Junkers modified their design to use the Otto cycle rather than the Diesel cycle. Being a two-stroke engine, the design had crankcase scavenging, which would result in engine mi

Ferrari is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo's race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni, the company built its first car in 1940. However, the company's inception as an auto manufacturer is usually …

Automotive design is the process of developing the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles, including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans. — The functional design and development of a modern motor vehicle is typically done by a large team from many …

A futuristic original sketch for the Ferrari Modulo 512-S concept car by Paul Martin in 1967. There are already many features of the final product, including the reduced height, wheels coved for low drag and the characteristic entry system.

Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, with headquarters in Cambiano, Italy. It was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930. On 14 December 2015, Mahindra Group acquired Pininfarina S.p.A. for about …

Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for various purposes including regulation, description and categorization, among others. This article details commonly used classification schemes in use worldwide. — Classification methods — Vehicles …

A sports car, or sportscar, is a small, usually two-seater automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble handling. The term "sports car" was used in The Times, London in 1919. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, USA's first known use of the term was in 1928. Sports cars started …

A convertible or cabriolet is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary between models. — A convertible allows an open-air driving experience, with the ability to provide a roof when required. Potential drawbacks of …

In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout …

A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder V configuration engine with the cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two sets of four, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft. Most banks are set at a right angle to each other, some at a narrower angle, with 45°, 60°, and 72° most …

Experimental Liberty V8 aircraft engine shows its 45° V-shaped configuration when looking at it from the front or back. Automotive versions usually use a wider, 90° block angle.

A transmission is a machine in a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Often the term transmission refers simply to the gearbox that uses gears and gear trains to provide speed and torque conversions from a rotating power source to another device.In British …

The Ferrari F430 is a sports car produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Ferrari from 2004 to 2009 as a successor to the Ferrari 360. The car is an update to the 360 with notable exterior and performance changes. It was unveiled at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The F430 was …

The Ferrari 488 is a mid-engine sports car produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Ferrari. The car is an update to the 458 with notable exterior and performance changes. — The car is powered by a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, smaller in displacement but generating a …

The International Motor Show Germany or simply International Motor Show, in German known as the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, is the world's largest motor show. It is held annually, with passenger vehicles being …

The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by the …

Formula One is the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its …

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a front mid-engine, 2-seater, limited production sports car developed by the Mercedes-AMG division of German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, with the assistance of David Coulthard. The car, which is the successor to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and …

The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine sports car named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was developed in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission …

Enzo Ferrari

The F140B V12 engine

The Ferrari Enzo used the F1 transmission and had a gear shift indicator on the steering wheel telling the driver when to change gears

The Ferrari Enzo used carbon ceramic brake discs, a first for a Ferrari road car

The Ferrari 360 is a two-seater, mid-engine, rear wheel drive sports car manufactured by Italian automotive manufacturer Ferrari from 1999 to 2005. It succeeded the Ferrari F355 and was replaced by the Ferrari F430 in 2005. — Development history — Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to …

360 Modena

Interior. This example is equipped with the 6-speed gated manual transmission

A differential is a gear train with three shafts that has the property that the rotational speed of one shaft is the average of the speeds of the others, or a fixed multiple of that average. — Overview — In automobiles and other wheeled vehicles, the differential allows the outer drive wheel to …

A spur gear differential constructed by engaging the planet gears of two co-axial epicyclic gear trains. The casing is the carrier for this planetary gear train.

Automotive differential: The drive gear 2 is mounted on the carrier 5 which supports the planetary bevel gears 4 which engage the driven bevel gears 3 attached to the axles 1.

ZF Differential. The drive shaft enters from the front and the driven axles run left and right.

Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip. — Fundamental principles — The same principle that allows an …

Three different styles of front wings from three different Formula One eras, all designed to produce downforce at the front end of the respective race cars. Top to bottom: Ferrari 312 (1979), Lotus 79 (1978), McLaren MP4-11 (1996)

The rear wing of a 1998 Formula One car, with three aerodynamic elements (1, 2, 3). The rows of holes for adjustment of the angle of attack (4) and installation of another element (5) are visible on the wing's endplate.

Michael Schumacher is a retired German racing driver who raced in Formula One for Jordan Grand Prix, Benetton and Ferrari, where he spent most of his career, as well as for Mercedes upon his return to the sport. Widely regarded as one …

S-segment is the a European segments for passenger cars for sport coupés. The cars are often described as sports cars and the equivalent Euro NCAP class is called "roadster sport". — Characteristics — S-segment cars have a sporting appearance and are usually designed to have superior handling …

In automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back.This type of motor is usually used for rear-wheel drive cars, except for some Audi and SAAB models equipped with longitudinal …

Longitudinal engine in a 3-wheeler chassis

Longitudinal inline six cylinder engine in a Henderson De Luxe Supersix of 1926

An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one form of energy into mechanical energy. Heat engines, like the internal combustion engine, burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to do work. Electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical motion, pneumatic motors use …

A mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine between the rear and front axles — History — The mid-engine, rear-wheel drive format can be considered the original layout of automobiles. A 1901 Autocar was the first gasoline-powered automobile to use a drive shaft and placed …

The Lotus Europa S1 was based on a prototype built to compete for Henry Ford II's contract to build a Le Mans race car in the early 1960s.

In automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the …

Maranello is a town and comune in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, 18 km from Modena, with a population of 17,165 as of 2013. It is known worldwide as the home of Ferrari and Scuderia Ferrari Formula One racing team. Maranello was also home to coachbuilding firm …

The Prancing Horse, symbol of Ferrari, which has its headquarters in Maranello

The term Berlinetta refers to a sports coupé, typically with two seats but also including 2+2 cars.The original meaning for berlinetta in Italian is “little saloon”.Introduced in the 1930s, the term was popularized by Ferrari in the …

The layout of a car is often defined by the location of the engine and drive wheels. — Layouts can roughly be divided into three categories: front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Many different combinations of engine location and driven wheels are found in practice, and the …

The F136, commonly known as Ferrari-Maserati engine, is a family of 90° V8 petrol engines jointly developed by Ferrari and Maserati and produced by Ferrari; these engines displace between 4.2 L and 4.7 L, and produce between 390 PS and to 605 PS. All engines are …

A dual-clutch transmission is an automated automotive transmission, closely related to a manual transmission. It uses two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets. It can fundamentally be described as two …

In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles, the wheelbase is the distance between the steering axle and the centerpoint of the driving axle group. In the case …

Redline refers to the maximum engine speed at which an internal combustion engine or traction motor and its components are designed to operate without causing damage to the components themselves or other parts of the engine. The redline of an engine depends on various factors such as stroke, mass …

Horsepower is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions being used today are the mechanical horsepower, which is about 745.7 watts, and the metric horsepower …